Like A Gull Takes To The Wind
by easyl0ve
Summary: 11th Doctor/OC This is a tale of a 18th century girl who meets a magical man named The Doctor. Is she really all she seems to be, or is she something more? Clara Weston is determined to find her answers and find her place in the universe. This is set just before The Doctor goes to "die" at Lake Silencio before all history breaks loose. HIATUS
1. Those Dark Days

**I decided to write a Doctor Who fanfiction, mainly because I have been searching for one to read and I haven't really found what I was looking for. So I figured, write what you would want to read! Also, new season has me all giddy! I hope you enjoy, and thanks for giving my story a shot.**

1: Those Dark Days

They named me Clara Weston, because the night I was found was clear and I was just west of my home. There I was raised as an object at the Asylum for Orphan Girls, where I was punished daily for speaking out of turn or when they would catch me stealing books during the later years. The other girls didn't understand why I begged the eldest girl, Cecilia, to teach me to read. Her parents only died when she was 15, so she knew enough to help. I felt something when I looked at the pages, as they transported me to so many places. The Bible had marvelous stories. It wasn't pleasant, looking back at it, but at the time it was all I knew. Unfortunately, in 1761, when I was 13, I was removed for evil thoughts. See, I dream every night of a place with two suns, and orange skies. That's blasphemy. When I first told Sister Mary I was caned fifty times, the next time I was sent to a place they kept calling Bedlam. Here I see how nice it was in the orphanage. I am chained in a room with nine other 'incurables' that spend their waking moments wailing. I don't wail. I sit and dream of the red grass, and at times I can almost touch it. Then the pain in my stomach brings me back, or a doctor comes in and bleeds one of us, or purges one of us. It is always a relief when it isn't me, but oftentimes it is. Filth and silence and screaming and stench were my life.

A new man came one day; I gauged it to be eight years and two hundred days since I had first arrived at Bedlam. He was different from the others. He took one of my companions for several weeks, and when she came back she was different. She didn't wail, or beat her fists as she had before. She just sat. Not like how I sit; she sat like an empty vessel. Then another of the girls left, and came back the same fifteen days later. Empty just like the other one. The man changed each time I saw him as well. His girth grew and grew. It was then that I decided the man was a demon. I had read of them, and it frightened me. Every time he came in I worried I would be next, but I wasn't. He took two other's souls before it happened. Before the day everything changed, before the day I was saved.

When it happened it was quick. The demon came in and this time it was I. My luck had run out, and I would pay for my evil thoughts. When he lead me his grip on my arm was painful, but not as painful as the bleedings. He took me to a room with a chair in the middle and shackles attached to the ground, that was were I was placed. It felt so strange to be in a chair. For the first time in years I was sitting on a chair, not on the ground in the filth. I noticed I was not alone. The demon shut the door, and then showed me his true face. He was as green and scaled as the serpent. I remained unafraid as he walked towards me. My time had come; I wondered how many days it would take. The others were gone for a fortnight each time, would it be the same with me? Would it hurt?

Then the door burst open.

"I knew I would find you here!" There was a tall man in strange dress standing in the doorway pointing an odd looking thing that emitted a green light at the demon. "You picked the wrong planet to feast on, Psychvoulge."

"And who's going to stop me?" It sounded almost like a hiss.

"I am, this planet and its people are protected by me." I was confused by this immensely.

"And who are you?"

"I'm The Doctor." Something about this must have scared the demon, because he immediately pushed his way past the man and began to run. This doctor didn't look like the other doctors at Bedlam, with their wicked smiles. This doctor's face was kind; something I had only glimpsed with Cecile all those years ago.

I spoke then, for the first time since I was first brought here. My voice felt strange as it left my throat. "Please, don't make me stay here." He looked at me then, as if he hadn't noticed me in the room before that moment. He walked over and shined the green light at the shackles. "That makes a strange noise. I like it." He smiled at me as the shackles release. Just a smile? No punishment for speaking out of turn? "You aren't like the other doctors here."

"That's because I'm not a doctor. I'm THE Doctor. It's what they call me."

"That's silly." I felt a smile on my face. Reflexively I reached up to touch it, for proof that I was smiling. "I'm Clara." I saw a confused look on his face. I wanted him to stay. I wanted him to protect me from all of this, but the demon got away. "Shouldn't you catch the demon?"

"Right! Stay right here, I will be back."


	2. That Strange Sensation

**Thank you for favoriting! It made my day. Here is the next installment, let me know how it goes. **

2: That Strange Sensation

As I waited I washed off my face and hands in a small water pale in the corner of the room. It had been so longs since I had gotten to clean them, the water was brown almost the instant I put my hand in. Time passed and The Doctor didn't return. The Doctor didn't, but the demon did.

"Get over here," he yelled at me, but I ran past him. My muscles hurt, and I was stumbling, but I got out the door. I kept stumbling forward, hoping for help, but there was nothing. I could hear the demon behind me but I kept going. I got outside. The air was so sweet, I had forgotten. I heard him yell again, I needed to hide. There was a large blue box; Police was the only word I could make out on the outside. I opened the door and went inside, shutting it behind me.

"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the…" There was pounding at the door, my eyes closed tighter, "Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." I kept praying as I heard noises outside. When the noise stopped I opened my eyes.

What was this place?

It was much larger on the inside, it was like nothing I had ever seen and it was beautiful. I stood up and moved closer to the central column. Everything as so bright and shiny, it hurt my eyes. But something of it felt familiar though, like something I had seen in my dreams. After a few minutes the door opened, and the Doctor entered. "How did you get in here?"

"The door. What is this place?"

"This is the TARDIS. People can't normally get in here, and you say you just came through the door?" I nodded. He stared at me for a second then went to the central column and began to move different things around. "If you could go anywhere, where would you want to go?"

"Anywhere? I would want to see the snow. I heard it was beautiful."

"The snow it is." The strange noise from my dreams rang out, and everything started to shake. I grabbed onto a bit of railing to steady myself. It lasted only a minute though. "And here we are." He walked to the door and opened it. I followed him outside.

"How did we move?" My voice still felt strange.

"That's the TARDIS. She can go anytime anywhere." I touched the blue wood for a moment and then turned my attention to the cold snow beneath my feet. I had always wanted this. I walked into the forest. It was so peaceful, I didn't even care that I was getting cold. I lied into the snow and made a snow angel, as I had once done outside the orphanage. After I was finished I got up and grabbed a handful of the white powder in my hand and packed it together. The Doctor was talking about something, but I was too distracted by the surroundings to care. It was so different from the small stone room I had resided in for the past nine years. I threw the snowball at him and felt a laugh escape. I missed laughing, I had only ever laughed with Cecile before.

"It's nice to laugh again," I said to myself, but he must have heard me.

"You probably didn't get to laugh much at the hospital."

"I didn't get to do anything but sit and dream in Bedlam." I said, walking back into the TARDIS.

"Say, how would you like to travel with me for a bit?"

"To where?"

"There are so many places to go. Blue suns and purple people. There is even a planet made entirely of diamonds. We can see it all, or most of it. What do you say?"

I thought of it, of flying away. Did I trust this Doctor? I did. I felt it in my heart, this man could be trusted. "I'd love to." I wasn't like I had anything else to go back to.

He surveyed me, and his eyes made me feel uncomfortable. "I know just the place to go first. A couple hundred years back I prevented a war on a small planet in the Triangulum Galaxy. They are known for their spas. I think that will be just the place."

"What's a spa?"

"Oh, you'll see. First we have to get there." He began turning various knobs on desk in the center of the TARDIS. "Come here, hold this down!" I followed his instruction, unable to help the hope growing in my mind. I was free at last.


	3. That Vibrant Visage

**Clara finally becomes presentable! Couldn't have her running throughout time and space in a dirty rag, now could I?**

3: That Vibrant Visage

The 'spa' The Doctor took me to was beyond my own description. Everything was clean, everything was shiny, and everyone looked frightened of me. Their looks matched those of the doctors at Bedlam whenever they came in to bleed one of us; worry, panic, terror. The Doctor had a short conversation with the women, which upon further examination appeared to be some other sort of creature. They seemed too friendly to be demons though, they must have been angels. After he finished his talk he returned to me.

"These ladies will help you." As they began to usher me into a room I looked back at the Doctor in panic, "Don't worry I will be right here when they are finished."

I had no choice but to submit. The angels would bathe me and scrub me and explain what they were doing in words I couldn't understand. I felt so venerable being naked in front of them, but they were angels. I had to trust them. "This solution will get rid of all of this unsightly hair on your body. It is the belief of the Union of Cosmetology and Beautification Organizations that humans should only have hair on their scalp, their eyebrows, and their eyelashes." I nodded at everything they said.

Another angel came in and suddenly moving paintings appeared. "Here, we are going to show you a brief history of fashion and style from your home planet. This should help you later on in the day."

Another scrubbed and clipped my fingernails and toenails. "A permanent clear coat will be just the thing. And if you ever want to paint over it, you can!" They all seemed passionate about everything they did; it reminded me of the sisters at the orphanage.

"Now let's have a look at those teeth." I opened my mouth and heard the angel shutter. I began to get worried. "That wont do. Wantaimia, we are going to need a full dental overhaul." At this the other angel hit something on the wall, which caused a drawer to open. I tried to focus on the moving paintings. After a long while they stepped away from working on my mouth. "Perfect. Just needs that final touch." She pulled out a bottle of blue liquid. "This is our own patented anti-halitosis wash, we are the only spa in the whole universe to have one. The formula is designed so that all it takes is one wash, and bad breath will be a thing of your past." She smiled and proceeded to wash my mouth with the liquid. I had never really worried about my breath before, I only cared that I was still breathing. "Wantaimia, you do the hair, and make sure to keep the length. Length is in this century." I then felt hands and water on my scalp. This was all so much touching, it was overwhelming to me. I tried to focus on the paintings but I was startled by the angel that was referred to as Wantaimia.

"My goodness, you're blonde! She's blonde under all that dirt," she yelled out of the room. More cleansing, more scrubbing. "This shampoo will help release these mattes." Another eternity later Wantaimia left and a new angel came in.

"Hello, I am Gedrine." She shook my hand, and for the first time I saw how utterly clean my hand looked. "And now we get to have fun." She had me lean back in the chair as she took out some sort of tool kit. "First, the permanent liner," I felt her trace just above my eyelashes, and just below the bottom of my eye. "And the brow tint," I felt a small comb through my eyebrows. "The PermaLip Stain, this is my favorite shade. It will go perfectly with your complexion." She smeared something over my lips. "And lastly, or LashLuster Serum and dye in black hole. This is the color Miss Universe wears." She coated my eye lashes with the liquid. "Now let me look at you, perfect."

I was worried. I liked the reflection I saw in puddles on the floor of my cell. I didn't want to be someone else. "Do I get to see?"

"Not until the reveal. All right, next we have the health scan. We can't have our most valuable client dying before she can spread the word about our sevices, now can we?"

"Most valuable client?" I looked at her as she led me out of the room.

"Any friend of The Doctor is a friend of ours. Now let's hurry, there is still lots to do." I was put in a room where I was told to lie on a table, only the table was much more comfortable than anything I had ever felt, even the cots at the Girls Home. "Now we are going to just do a scan, then someone will come in with the appropriate shots and vaccines. Do not worry, you are totally safe." There was a long humming sound and then silence. The silence stayed until the door opened and Wantaimia came in.

"Oh, you look beautiful. Definitely our best work so far. Now stay still, these will only hurt for a second. They are to keep you from getting sick, to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and this one here is to help rebuild your muscles. The Doctor said you were imprisoned for a long time and this is the only way we can help." I nodded and she poked the needles in me. It wasn't as bad as the bleeding at Bedlam, but it was still unpleasant. A few more injections later she smiled, "We are all done. Now to the styling center with Gedrine. She is so excited to get to dress you. A pure human!" I didn't understand her, but I trusted the angel. After a long walk down several hallways we reached Gedrine.

"Alright, so you watched the video, which decades did you like most?"

I tried to remember. "I liked the flapper dresses of the 1920s," my voice was unsure. The 1920s hadn't happened, it was 1770, or was it? Everything was so confusing. "And I liked the, I think they called it Bohemian? In the 1960s and early 2000s? I also liked the 1980s punk. I have always wanted a leather jacket for the winter. I liked the skinny jeans? Is that right? I liked those. And primitive prints?"

"Tribal?"

"Yes, tribal it was. I liked other things as well, but I can't think of them. I hadn't known clothes could be so beautiful."

She nodded. "Okay, I am going to put together a few outfits for you to pick from for the reveal, and pull enough for a new wardrobe."

"I've never had a wardrobe before."

"Oh, you poor thing. I will make sure to put in a few special items as well. Anything for a friend of the Doctor! We will have it packed and sent to the TARDIS as soon as I am finished. For now, you just wait in here, Wanny will keep you company." She exited and I sat down on the sofa.

"Was I ugly before? Why did you have to change me so much?"

"Oh, no-no. Normally we have to completely change faces, remove flaps, and remove excess weight and skin. You just needed a good cleaning, under it all you were pleasantly surprising. I can't wait to see The Doctor's reaction."

"Do you know him?"

"Oh yes, he saved my sister, Gedrine, and I when we were just babies swimming in the Fountain of Trinalis."

"He said he was here hundreds of years ago?"

"I am almost 225 years old. Our species ages slowly."

"I am confused. Species?"

"Oh, Clara is it? Well see, I am what you earthlings call 'an alien.'"

"I don't understand. I thought you were an angel."

"That is sweet, but no. I am a Vansitrinus. Our race places beauty above all else, that is why our planet is covered in day spas."

"My head is spinning," I felt the world flying around me. What world was this? Where was I? Please, God. Please help me answer these questions.

"You should lie down. This is surely too much for you to handle, when did you start to travel with him?"

"Today." I started to recline onto the couch.

"Here, take this pillow, I think there is a blanket in the closet." She walked over and hit something on the wall, causing a door to open. "Perfect, here we go." She placed the blanket over me. "I will sing you the song Gedrine used to sing to me when we were young, it always calmed me down." I listened to her voice. I had never heard a voice like that, if she hadn't told me otherwise I would have considered it proof that she was an angel from God. When the song was over the door opened, as if on cue.

"Tell me what you think." She wheeled in a coat rack with three outfits on it. I was immediately drawn to the center one. Skinny jeans, just like in the paintings. They were a dark fabric. I never had anything in a dark fabric before. And those fancy shoes, and the flowy sheer black top that had no sleeves. There was a drawstring at the waist with crystals at the end of each of the strings.

"I like the middle one, but I don't know if God would be happy if I wore it."

The sister exchanged glances, "God will be happy if you are happy. I promise."

"Okay, then that one."

"Wonderful. We need to put on your undergarments." I stepped into a very small black petticoat, which was like the ones I had seen in the paintings earlier. Then They clasped a black bra with lace overlay and no straps around my chest. As they put the clothes on me I couldn't help the tears. This was what the Queen must have felt like, I felt like I was special. If Cecilia could see me now, who knows what she would think. "Okay, we will present you to The Doctor at the same time we show you! It will be so fun. We even have a before shot, so you know what you looked like when you came in here." My stomach began to churn. "Are you ready, Clara?" I couldn't speak. I just nodded. "Terrific, let's go to the presentation room."


	4. Those Horrible Heels

**Hey! Thanks for reading! And a special thanks to the favoriting and the following, it keeps me writing. I would love to know what you guys think so far, so feel free to honestly review. **

4: Those Horrible Heels

The shoes felt strange on my feet, so constricting. I hated it, but only because I had been without shoes for so long. The pairs I had at the orphanage were already worn when I got them, these ones were brand new. They were hard to walk in due to the large heel, but my angels were at my sides guiding me along the corridors. I entered a room with a large curtain in the middle. "Doctor we are almost ready."

"Excellent, Clara are you feeling alright?"

"I think so." Honestly I wasn't. My feet were beginning to hurt, my head still swan with wooziness, and my heart raced faster than ever before.

"Wonderful!"

"Without further ado, I would like to direct your attention to the north wall." Gedrine motioned to a wall. "This is what Miss Clara looked like when she arrived here today." There was a painting on the wall. It looked similar to what I saw in the puddles of my room, but far clearer. "And this is Clara now." The veil dropped and there he was, smiling. There might have been some surprise on his face as well, but I didn't know him well enough to be able to tell.

"You did a fantastic job ladies. What do you think?" What do I think? Oh, I needed to see. I looked over to the looking glass he was standing beside, then to the painting of me on the wall, then back to the glass.

"That's me?" I reached up to the looking glass, and the reflection did the same. "I look like the girls in the moving paintings," I smiled. That's what my smile looked like? It was so bright. So beautiful. My hair was paler than I had ever seen it, and it had wonderful waves in it. I hadn't noticed that it did that before. My hands were so clean; all of my skin was clean. I was so happy. I felt like the Queen and her children must have felt every day. I had never seen my full body before, it was so frail. I felt the embarrassment start to turn my cheeks red. It took minutes before I could pry my eyes away from my reflection, "Thank you. I have never known such kindness."

"Of course, dear, of course. Now if anyone asks you where you got your look, make sure to tell them that Gedrine and Wantaimia took care of you."

"I will."

"Wonderful, I trust you have loaded all of her things?" she looked at the Doctor.

"Yes yes, we'd best be going then." He shook each of their hands and started walking. I said thank you and followed. My legs already felt better, I was thankful for that. He entered his blue box and I followed. The faint hum was comforting, I don't know why though. "So where to next!"

"I need to go to sleep soon. The day has been long."

"Of course! There is a planet, fluffiest planet in the universe, perfect for a rest! Now, come over here and turn this for me," I went to the desk and followed his instructions. When the whirling and shaking stopped The Doctor smiled at me. "Are you ready for the softest beds in the universe?"

"You do realize that I have slept on stone floors for eight years?"

"Oh, right. Right right right. Then you'll love this! Wonderful, let's go." He walked over and opened the door. I peered out past him; it was an amazing sight to be seen. Clouds covered the ground. This was surely heaven. I began to follow him when he stopped abruptly. "Pajamas! You must have pajamas in all of that mess the sisters gave me. Follow me." We walked back into the TARDIS and he took me up the steps and opened a door. "This is your room, I suppose. For now at least. There should be pajamas in the dresser. I will be just outside the TARDIS when you are done." He gave me a slight nudge into the room and shut the door. I looked around and found a chest of drawers. I looked through them, and was initially frightened by the clothes I found. So much sheer things, I did not understand why they would have given these to me. The bottom drawer held a wide range of shirts without collars. I remembered seeing these in the moving paintings, so I decided that it would be my most comfortable bet. I also found a pair of what were called 'yoga pants.' It was difficult removing the clothes the angel sisters had put me in, but after a few minutes of struggling I was free. I caught a glimpse of myself in the looking glass. How improper! I wondered if it was still strange to be naked, or if it was something of the past. My present. I slid on the shirt and the pants. They were much more comfortable than the other clothing I had worn. I could wear these forever. I left the room and made my way back to the heavenly planet. "There you go, that must be more comfortable for you." I nodded. "Well, just lie wherever you want. The sun should be setting in a couple of minutes." I sat down on the cloudy surface. This was nothing like the floors of my cell, this was so soft. I couldn't help myself from immediately collapsing.

"This is impossible."

"Why do you say that?"

"How could there be a whole planet like this?"

"There are planets with just about everything you can imagine on them."

"Really?" I began to think of the place I dreamt of.

"Of course really. The universe is an infinite sort of place where everything is not only possible, but plausible."

I felt my eyes grow heavy, and my heart lighten for the first time in my life. "So the orange skies and red grass can be out there." I smiled, at the edge of sleep. I think I heard him say something, but I was already off. Off to those lands that might just be out there. Only that night The Doctor was there with me.


	5. Those Whimsical Waves

**Thank you for reading. **

5: Those Whimsical Waves

"How do you know about Gallifrey?"

"Excuse me?"

"Last night you spoke of a place with orange skies and red grass."

"Yes, it has two suns, too. Isn't that strange. I dream of it every night." The Doctor stared at me for a long time. It gave me a worried feeling in the pit of my stomach.

He crouched down next to me, "That place is where I come from." There was something in his voice that I had never heard before in any other.

"I should like to see it, can we go there next?"

"I am sorry, but we can't ever go there."

"Why not?"

"I'll tell you where we can go," his demeanor completely changed, "There is a planet whose land masses are made entirely of beaches. I've always wanted to go, but I've never found the time. Would you like to go there?"

"I've never seen a beach before, so of course." I smiled and went back into the TARDIS. I made sure to remember this Gallifrey place. I wanted answers eventually. The Doctor instructed me to put on a swimsuit.

"Or wear that, whatever you feel like." He pulled some knobs and the TARDIS lurched. "Hurry up now, we'll be there in seconds." I went to my room and found a black bikini. After putting it on I looked in the mirror. Was this me? Was I really dead, and this was just some strange purgatory? I felt so naked, it wasn't proper at all. God just wants me to be happy. That's what the angels said. I walked into the TARDIS's main room. "There you go, and just in time. Let's go." He stepped outside.

"Hey, what about you! You're still wearing your suit!"

"What? Does it not look good?"

I felt a flush of blood come to my cheeks. What was this feeling? "I'm sorry for questioning you, Doctor."

"Now now now," he grabbed my arms gently, "If there is one rule with me then it is to always question me. Or was it never question me? Who can remember? For now always question me." I couldn't help but laugh at his words. "But I always wear the suit. It's sort of my thing."

"Whatever makes you happy then," I looked out at the beach. This is what a beach was? It put the snow to shame. I felt the warm sand under my feet; I preferred it to the stone or the dirt that I had known before. I walked to the water and let the waves wash over my feet. It was so freeing. I hadn't felt anything like it. "This is beautiful. Where are the people?"

"In there," he pointed to the ocean.

"They're fish?"

"Shhh." He held up his hands to quiet me, "They don't like being called that."

"Alright then. Do I get to meet them?"

"Can you breath underwater?" I shook my head. "Then I guess not."

"Can you breath underwater?"

"No."

"But you aren't like me? You said you were from somewhere else."

"We are very similar though, well almost. I am a Time Lord. The last of them, I'm afraid."

"That must be lonely."

"Oh, it isn't so bad. I get to meet people like you. Fills up the time."

"So what can you do? Can you do anything special?"

"Well, I can regenerate. That's pretty special. And I have two hearts. Reasonably special. Let's see, what else can I do? Oh, I can speak baby, but that's not that uncommon. I have the TARDIS, she is special. The only one of her kind left, and just so sexy isn't she? Hmm, it feels like there is a lot more I can do, but why tell you when I can show you."

"Two hearts? That must feel weird."

"I have been meaning to talk to you about that. Yesterday, when they scanned you, they found something well, weird as you put it."

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. It's just you have two hearts, like me."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know for sure. But I am curious to find out." He gave me a mischievous grin. "What do you know of your parents?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on now. Surely you have to know something, what were they like before you were sent to Bedlam?"

"I don't know, I was raised in a girl's home."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I could see the remorse on his face covering the cogs in his brain ticking away. "What do you know of where you came from?"

"February 3rd, 1748 I was found just west of the orphanage at night."

"Wonderful. Well, not wonderful. Very sad. But it is a start. You stay right here, and I will be back before you know it."

Then before I could ask if I could join him he was off. It was an amazing sight to behold, the vanishing blue box; I had almost thought I imagined it. I turned my attention to the waves then, hearing their crashing noise was beautiful. I remember how just days ago I was plagued by the shrieks of my 'roommates.' Now I was on a beach, a real beach. The sun was shining and the water was glistening. Then I heard the strangest thing, it was singing. The music was hauntingly beautiful.


	6. That Worrisome Watch

**Thank you so much for reading! And a special thanks to Superdani and tiarna13 for the reviews! Hopefully this is out soon enough to save my Doctor Who DVD collection haha. **

6: That Worrisome Watch

While gazing out into that vast ocean and listening to the songs that swept over the land I felt my eyelids grow heavy. I fought the urge to sleep for only a few minutes before I succumbed, and just before I shut my eyes I could have swore I saw a mermaid. When I woke again I discovered I had indeed seen a mermaid, and they had taken me off of the beach and into a labyrinth of underground walkways, or more swimways. There was air, but I was also waist deep in water. I was being carried between what looked to be two mermen. I spoke before I could control myself.

"Where am I?"

"Oh good, you're awake." I turned my head to see who spoke; it was the merman on my left. "We are taking you to the King to decide what to do with you."

"What do you mean?"

"You are a trespasser. You have committed a crime against our lands."

"I didn't mean to, I was just here with my friend sight seeing. I had never seen a beach before."

"There was no one there with you when we took you."

"Because he went to figure out where I come from."

"Save your story, human."

The rest of the walk was silent, and I began to grow more and more worried. The only positive was that for some reason these creatures were speaking English, and the tunnels we traveled through were absolutely beautiful. The Doctor would have loved to see this. I hope he returns soon and finds me. Another calming bit was that, although I was wearing only the 'bikini,' the merpeople were far less dressed than myself.

"King Neptune, we bring you the trespasser."

"Thank you gentlemen, you may be excused." The two mermen left. "How did you come to my land, human?"

"The TARDIS, Sir."

"What is this TARDIS you speak of?"

"It's a blue box that can travel anywhere."

"And why did you come here? Are you the scout of an invasion? To steal our gems?"

"Gems? Invasion? No, Sir. We just came here to see you beaches. They are very beautiful, sir. They are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"Flattery will not save you Earthling." I could hear that strange noise again, the Doctor was here.

"Flattery might not save her, but I will." There he was, just the man I wanted to see.

"You have no business here intruder. I am about to sentence this trespasser, then I will sentence you."

"And what, might I ask, is her punishment going to be?"

"Beheading."

"Oh no, well I can't very well let that happen, I'm afraid. Clara, why don't you swim on over here and we will be going."

"I think not, male human." I had already begun to slosh towards him, hearts racing, when King Neptune spoke again. "Guards! Guards come and seize them!"

"First, I am not a human, I am a Time Lord. Second," he grabbed my arm, "Back to the TARDIS." As the door opened the water rushed in along with us. He shut the door and locked it, then ran to the controls; I followed. "Hold this down." I followed his orders, and by the time we were on our way I felt the laughter bubble from my hearts. Then he was laughing too.

"Last time I trust you! I almost died." I couldn't help the smile on my face. I had never felt so alive than at that very moment.

"Well I got back to you in time, did I?"

"Barely."

"Oh, please. You would have been just fine."

"Where to now? Somewhere safe I hope."

"Oh I figured we would just float around for a bit. Besides, I found something out about you, here." He threw a small metal disk at me.

"What's this?" I examined it.

"That is your fog watch."

"How is a watch going to help me?" I examined it's markings closely.

"Sit down, I need to tell you something important." I sat on the stairs and he sat beside me. "Time Lords, or in this case, Time Ladies used to use fog watches to store a bit of themselves in, should the need arise. I even had to during my last incarnation."

"Your last incarnation?"

"I haven't always been like this, you know. I don't look the same after I change, and I don't act the same either. But that's not the point."

"Wait, so how old are you?"

"I turn 1,000 in human 'years' in a few months."

"You have aged well," I laughed. "How do you know this watch is mine?"

"Well, I found it on you as a baby."

"So what do I do now?"

"Well, this is where it get's tricky. You don't have to open it if you don't want to."

I stared at the watch, "And what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do what you feel like doing."

"Will I become someone else?"

"Well, yes and no. From what I remember, it is more like finding yourself again."

"But will I change?"

"Yes, you will most likely change."

I sat for a long time looking at the silver disk. What should I do? What if I don't like who I was? I turned it in my hands over and over again, hoping that the next turn will reveal something to me, but nothing came. "There is so much I have not done yet." The Doctor remained quiet. "Then again, I have probably done everything, I just can't remember it. But me, me as Clara Weston. I am so worried about what I might discover."

"I will be here with you."

"But I might not tell you everything."

"Ahh, I see. That's simple; us Time Lords can see other people's memories. Comes in handy quite a bit, but I never really use it that often."

"But, what if you don't want me around anymore? Once I'm different?"

"Impossible."

"Promise?"

"Cross my hearts," he said with a wink.

"Alright. Here goes nothing, I guess." I clicked open the watch, and everything changed.


	7. Those Guilty Giggles

**Thank you for reading! And thank you for the reviews! I am quite the happy writer at the moment because of them. I wanted to get this out quick as a reward, and I am super excited to get to create/write a character that has the potential to be as well-rounded and utterly unfathomable as The Doctor. This is just a peak at what Time Lady Clara is going to be like. ENJOY.**

7: Those Guilty Giggles

There was only one reason why I had stowed myself away; the sadness. I had lost my whole family during the Time War, and though I spent hundreds of years trying to live one, going from place to place, the pain only intensified. It grew so vast, so all-encompassing that I organized my regeneration and tucked my heartache away into the small watch. I was called The Jester from the time I glimpsed the Untempered Schism, because at that moment I gazed, then turned away and said, "Is that all?" The looks on their faces were beyond belief, "I'm just kidding, that was fantastic." Their response was an uproar of laughter, but that's Gallifrean humor for you. My husband and two young sons were of the first casualties in the war, and the second they died I left. I left my home before it turned to ash. Unlike the Doctor, who wasn't trained in time travel the way I was, I could fly through the time vortex without the aide of a TARDIS. Five hundred years passed, and on my 615th birthday I decided enough was enough. I couldn't take the grief anymore; my jokes weren't as good as they used to be because life was no longer funny. Life was gone.

I remembered the Doctor finally. I looked up at him, and nodded. He came over and placed his hands on the sides of my face. I felt him going through my mind and I didn't care.

"They are all gone? Gallifrey is gone?"

"Yes, I'm sorry. But there is still us."

"I am sorry I ran."

"Don't worry." There was a long silence. "I heard about you, you know. Quiet the legend at the academy, The Jester. I should have known by the way you acted. Hilarious by Gallifrean standards, it's why I let you travel with me at first."

"What do we do now?"

"What do you want to do?"

"We should stick together, at least for a while."

"Well of course we are going to stick together, like I would just let you go. I've been waiting years to find someone like me, well, someone like you. I'm sorry, Jester, but you are not going to be able to get away that easy."

I felt a smile come across my face. The Doctor made so much more sense to me now. "Call me Clara, for now. Please."

"Yes yes, so where should we go now that we know who you are?"

"You lead and I will follow, Doctor."

"Do you know how to fly one of these things too?" He motioned to the center console.

"Of course. This model always was my favorite." I stood at the proper place and smiled.

"Geronimo!"

While I helped my friend man the TARDIS controls I began to feel guilty. Yesterday I had looked at him with lustful eyes. How could I live with myself? How could my husband ever forgive me? We had successful navigated the vortex when I decided to ask him a question. "How did you deal with it?"

"Threw myself into my work."

"Do you still love? Or did that die with your family?"

His face grew stern for the first time since I had met him, "Do not talk about that."

"I am sorry, I just feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Before the watch opened," I gave a weak laugh, "I kind of had a little thing for you." I heard him laugh, but my face was intently focused on the controls. "I know, how silly of me, right?"

"No no. Not to worry. I have been told that I am quite irresistible." He smiled. "And as for the guilt, don't worry. Time passes and you will remember that your family would want to live on as happily as you could." I just nodded and we exited the ship. "Speaking of," he stepped aside and I saw a beautiful woman standing there before us, "I would like you to meet River Song."


	8. This Daring Diplomat

**Thank you so much for the feedback! I am almost literally jumping for joy from how awesome you guys are. Hopefully this chapter helps bring Time Lord Clara to life. ENJOY!**

8: This Daring Diplomat

"Hello, Sweetie! Who is this?" River Song spoke to the Doctor.

"This, my dear, is the last Time Lady."

"Ahh, I have heard all about you, Jester."

"Really?" The Doctor looked at her.

"Spoilers."

"Of course, blasted spoilers. Anyways, you know Clara then. She likes to be called Clara at the moment. Now that's all settled we can get down to business. Why did you want me here today?"

"Come over here, I'll tell you." She pulled him away. I couldn't help but feel annoyed. There was this nagging feeling, but I wrote it off as him being the only other survivor of my species. While they were talking I was surveying the planet we were on. In the distance there was a village of some sort, they didn't appear to be too advanced technologically, but the town was completely quiet from here. The air had a youthful freshness to it. I ran back inside the TARDIS to my room to change. I threw on a one-shouldered red dress, with some bike shorts underneath. Then some combat boots and I was out the door. There was only one thing I needed. Before my 'break' I had a sonic tool of my own. Not a screwdriver like the Doctor, though I did see the usefulness of it. I would have to try to find something eventually, but for now I needed to see that town. Something about it felt strange, and who better to liven things up than yours truly. I skipped over towards the town, disregarding the yells from The Doctor and Ms. Song. I was right back to the old me, who need to observe from afar when you could just dive right in? Once I go to the buildings I saw the outline of a man, so I walked over.

"Hello, sir! Might I ask the name of this town?" He didn't respond. "Excuse me?" Still nothing. I reached down and shook his shoulder to wake him. Then the oddest thing happened, well odd to old Clara. Unfortunately normal for the Jester. The man's head just rolled off, revealing that it had been decaying for a good five years. River and The Doctor walked up.

"You shouldn't have touched him." I had only just met her, and she was already telling me what to do.

"Sorry, next time I will try not to lose my head. Or his head." I smiled devilishly, and could see the Doctor hide a snicker.

"This is not something to joke about, 'Clara.'" What was with her tone? Was that hate I heard?

"Well, then why don't you two go do whatever it is you are planning to do, being serious and what-not. And I will go have some much needed fun."

"We don't need you to solve this anyways."

"Perfect, I will see you two later." Before either of them could say anything I transported myself into one of the nearby buildings. If I had known I could do this as a human I would have lost my mind. It may have been painful for me physically, but the conversational impact was always well worth the price. I looked around the building for a few minutes and found just what I was looking for. "Hey little guy. Come on out here." In a dark corner of one of the rooms sat a small creature whose name one doesn't pronounce in proper company. The creature scuttled out and lunged for my leg, but I shooed him away. "Now now, don't go doing that. I am here to assist. Save you from this sucky life." I laughed, and it did too.

"So you know what I am?"

"Yes, but I am more interested in who you are, and how you ended up so far away from home. Care to enlighten me?"

"I would love to. I haven't spoken with anyone who speaks my tongue for a few years."

"How long have you been in this town? Five years?"

"Almost exactly, but there is no more food here."

"The food you are referring to were people."

"Oh goodness, really?" His dark face looked concerned. "You must realize I didn't know. Their brain wave patterns were so low, I thought they were some sort of cattle."

"Cattle in clothes?"

"Alright. But still, I was hungry. I tried not to eat for a while, but I just, I couldn't resist."

"Fine fine, what's your name?"

"Eyriandliter, but my friends call me Eddy."

"Nice to meet you, Eddy." I bowed at the waist, as is custom on his home planet.

"Such manners. You surely are not one of the cattle, are you?"

"Humans, not cattle. And no, I am not one of them."

"You look a lot like them though."

"We are not here to talk about me. How did you get here?"

"My ship crashed, there was nothing to fix it here. It's maddening. I have all the tools, but nothing to work with."

"Are these tools of yours sonic by any chance?"

"Of course! What else would I use?"

"Who knows? I have a proposition for you." I gave him a smile.

"Yes?" He began to stand; now only coming to my waist.

"How about if I take you back to your planet and return you to your life, you give me your toolbox? Provided that you promise to never come back here again."

"And how can you do that?"

"I happen to be a one-woman spaceship, thank you very much. So, do we have a deal?"

He extended his hand and I shook it. "Deal." He pulled out a small box from his place in the corner, "Here are all the tools I have." I took a peak. Sonic hammer, sonic screwdrivers of various shapes and sizes, sonic pliers, sonic scissors. A goldmine.

"Wonderful, now take my hand. This is going to be just a simple drop-off. I won't be staying more than a second, alright?"

"That's for the best. On my planet you will not last much more than that."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I was once there when I was in my early 200s. One of your people sucked all of the marrow from my illium, it was such a pain in the ass." I laughed for a moment then turned to him. "If you ever return to this planet and feast on its people again I will not be so kind. You got that?"

"Yes miss. Thank you for this."

"Don't you forget it." I winked. "This will be very painful, but you won't die. Well, probably not." Before he could say anything we were off. A minute of pure pain followed by a second of relief when we touched down, then more pain for me. I landed right by the TARDIS, with toolbox in hand. I put the box in my room, then went out to find the Doctor.


	9. That Chaotic Completeness

**Creative block on this story, but I am trying to push through. ENJOY!**

9: That Chaotic Completeness

"Problem solved." I smiled when I saw the Doctor and River still wandering around the town.

"And why do you say that?" River now looked completely pissed off.

"Found the culprit, took him home. It's a funny story, really. He thought they were cattle." I laughed.

"I don't see the humor in that."

"Fine. Anyways, job's done. So now you two can have your little date, I will be taking a nap or something." There was the sharp pain and then I was in my room. I let out a sigh and sat on my bed. Why did River hate me so much? Why couldn't I shake my feelings for the Doctor? Would they forgive me? Would my family forgive me for moving on and trying to start a new life? Somewhere in-between my thoughts I fell asleep.

When I woke up it was to the sound of the TARDIS. I got up and walked out into the control room.

"Nice to see you are finally up, Clara." The Doctor said with a smile.

"Yeah, where's River?"

"You two don't seem to like each other very much," he laughed. "She has some stuff to take care of, I'm afraid she is kind of mad at me at the moment. We are going on something she calls a 'break.'"

"Is it going to hurt?"

"No, I don't think so." He laughed some more.

"Well, that's good. Where are we off to now?"

"Paris, France on Earth."

"When?"

"I think late May, 2658."

"I love Paris in the springtime." I smiled as he laughed. And I went over to help with the controls. When we touched down he took my hand and led me out of the TARDIS. I couldn't fight the butterflies in my stomach.

"This is the last year that Paris remains home to the Eiffel Tower."

"I know." I smiled as he looked at me.

"Oh yes, I forgot. I don't normally travel with people who know so much, so I am sorry if I do that. I'm not really sorry, but that's what people tend to say in these situations." I just smiled as he led me around, talking about one thing or another. I hadn't felt so connected in so long. Before the break I hadn't felt anything really. I was a shell. When the Doctor was around I was no longer just a shell, I felt fuller. "So how did you take care of that so quickly?"

"I'm good with people. Or I was good with people. I can't tell yet about this version of me. But it worked didn't it?" I smiled.

"Yes. You've taken nearly all the fun out of problem solving."

"Oh, now don't say that. I've just became so good at it before, now I just don't want to waste time. People die when you waste time. That's when the big mistakes are made."

"Understandably, but still. Don't you want a good bit of chaos every now and then?"

"You are the perfect amount of chaos for me." I smiled.

"I'm glad someone thinks so." I sat on a bench while he went to talk to a group of birds that were sitting nearby, talking about the happenings of the time. All I could think was that I was glad he found me, even if it was a strange sort of miracle. I was glad I was not alone anymore.


	10. That Big Baby

**There has been a few short chapters I know, but once I get more time (school and work are murder!) I will write a humongous chapter for you guys! Thank you for reading! Let me know if it's going alright.**

10: That Big Baby

My happiness lasted a whole two minutes before the Doctor whisked me up and off. There was something big happening, and we had to solve it.

"Can I just watch this time?" I asked, wishing nothing crazy was happening and I could just enjoy Paris.

"Why would you want to do that?" He was only half-asking me, and I could tell that his mind was so far away it wasn't necessary to respond, so I just followed. Watching him work was interesting. He was so here and there, then over there. Chaos. Organized chaos. I remember when I was like that, but that was back when everything was funny. So funny that I could find the fun in just about anything. Now here I was, dare I say boring. Let's just go from A to B, why even bother with C, let alone H. Maybe it was just all of my recent regenerations? Their personalities just didn't feel like fun? That couldn't be it. Before the watch opened I was having fun, at least with the Doctor. While I followed the madman around I thought of my family. It was time to try to fix this heaviness on my hearts.

My husband loved me so much, and I him. Our children were the light of my life. They were gone now. Gallifrey was gone now. Did the Doctor have these things too? Had they been taken from him as well? Had he lost more? He had to have. Here he was, connecting to new people all over the place. People who didn't live as long as us. How could he do that? Why would he do that? Was it worth it to have it happen all over again?

My family was worth it. I could never regret growing close to them. I could never regret a single second that I spent with them. Maybe that will happen again? I would have to let it happen first, though. Give someone a chance.

But first, we have to run. Large creature chasing us. Follow the laughing man in the bow tie to 'safety.' This crazy man who reminds me of what I used to be, what I want to be again. The only other child of Gallifrey left. If someone was going to be let in, shouldn't it be him? I felt myself begin to laugh. Really laugh. Not hollow laughing like before, like from the center of my soul laughing. Maybe it was all of the deep thought I had been doing. Or perhaps the being chased by what resembled a giant human baby, diaper and all. That moment had suddenly become funny.

"I'd hate to have to change that diaper," I laughed.

"I'm sure his parents dread the terrible twos." He joked.

"Isn't he just being a big baby?" I keeled over. My sides hurt. The sides of my sides hurt. But the pain in my soul had lessened.

"You just gave me an idea," and there we were running again. The Doctor was talking to himself about his new brilliant plan, or was he talking to me. All I know is that I had this small giggle in my gut the whole time. Eventually he saved the day, and it only took him about forever to do it. But it was just so fun. I hadn't had fun like this for a very long time. I went to an ATM and withdrew some money. "Where did you get that?" He hadn't seen MY sonic screwdriver yet.

"Oh, you know, here and there." I smiled as he grabbed it out of my hand and examined it.

"But this one is better than mine. Is that a deadbolt function?"

I yanked it away, "Don't get all jealous, I might let you borrow it sometimes if you're nice."

"I'm always nice."

I laughed, "Whatever you say, Doctor. How about some food? I haven't had French food in ages, and it is high time to change that." I look his arm and began to walk to the district that housed the best cuisine of the time.

"But shouldn't we be off?"

"Nope. We did things your way with the giant kid, now it's my turn to choose."

"Oh, all right."

As we walked my steps were the lightest they had been since I had left Gallifrey.


	11. That French Feast

**Here is a teaser chapter for those of you who are awesome enough to still be reading! Life is stressful and I'm having difficulty with finding time and inspiration for the middle of this story. Fret not, I shall keep trying! This is just a little something to keep things moving.**

11: That French Feast

The feast in Paris was just what I needed. I had forgotten how good food was while in captivity, but now the universe was again at my fingertips and I had a partner in crime again.

"So where to next?" I asked while funneling wine into my mouth.

"Somewhere you can learn some manners," he laughed.

I set down my food and wiped my hands on my napkin. "I just spent over twenty years having eaten barely enough to survive. Any manners I have are miles away at the moment."

"I'm sorry, I forgot."

"No worries, where are we going then?"

"I think I might want to go to visit the Ood. If that's alright with you?"

"So you've met them before?" I slowly began to eat again, making sure to keep my propriety about me.

The Doctor smiled, "Oh yes, many times."

"Anything I should know?"

"Nothing really. They are a kind people when they aren't possessed."

"And are they possessed often?" I laughed.

"Just the once. At least when I've been around."

"Then it's settled."

"May I ask you something?" The Doctor's face grew serious again. I hated that. I nodded so he would ask. "Did what I say help?"

I sighed. "Yes and no. It's mainly you being here that's helping. I was alone for a very long time. But I see you with River, and I know that things must move on." I stood up and left the money on the table. The walk to the TARDIS was silent, and my eyes began to feel heavy. We pushed the controls and off we were to the homeland of the Ood.


	12. The Tough Truth

**Okay, so I am going to ask one thing of my readers for a little while... Trust me. It will all make sense eventually.**

12: The Tough Truth

Six whole months of adventuring; of crazy lands and fun. Three months of a feeling slowly creeping in. It was not love, or at least not like any love that I knew once. It started in brief moments, when he would say something brilliant and I would get this light feeling in my mind. Then sometimes he would do something so brave and caring that there would be warmth in my hearts. I found myself looking to see if he was impressed by the things I did and said. I found myself wanting more time alone with him. I even grew to love the awkward embraces we would have after saving the day yet again. It might be love, but we were always on the move so I didn't have time to figure it out. That is, until the week that I did.

"I've got some things to take care of, Clara. And I am afraid you cannot join me this time." He spoke to me as I packed a small suitcase with necessities.

"That's fine, I've been needing a vacation. Pick me up in a week, my time." I pulled the TARDIS' levers and we landed. "Los Angeles, June 14th, 2012. So be here on the 21st, or I shall be mad." I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the blue box and onto the asphalt. "One last thing," I said just before I kissed him on his cheek. "Don't get into too much trouble now." I noticed his gapping mouth, clearly in shock from the kiss. Instead of saying anything I just closed my eyes and felt that pinching. Moving through space was painful, but always so good at portraying impact. "I love a good dramatic exit," I said to myself as I walked to an ATM. I pulled out some money and then hailed a cab. "The nicest hotel in the city, good sir."

For a whole week I thought. I wandered the streets and the beach just thinking. Thinking of my late family, and thinking of the Doctor. I missed them all, but only one was still around. My gut finally spoke up. Go for it. Why? Because I missed him. Because I could trust him. Because I loved what he stood for. Because I cared whether or not he made it out of his escapades safely. Because he made me laugh, and I made him laugh. But mostly because I had fun with him. If you looked up fun in the dictionary… it would give you its definition. That definition would describe exactly what it was like to travel with the Doctor.

When he arrived back I was set on telling him how I felt. The 21st came and went and there was no Doctor. I trusted him though. He would be back soon. Then the next thing I knew it was the 1st of July. I began to write a letter to explain how I felt. Fifteen drafts. The 1st of August. Forty-five drafts. The 1st of September. I had been sitting around patiently waiting for long enough. I needed to get back to him. Traveling without a TARDIS to an undetermined location with only a name to go by was hard enough, but make that name the Doctor and it was near impossible. I would have to just go for the TARDIS itself. He never strayed far from it, so it would most likely work out. I packed my things and held my bag as I began to think.

The TARDIS. The blue box. Bigger on the inside. There was a sharper pain than usual and then I was there. Familiar floor, familiar controls. I walked up to my room. Definitely my room.

"Doctor?" I called through the TARDIS's intercom. Nothing. I set the final draft of the letter on the center console. Then I walked outside. Desolate but vegetated. I wandered around for a while until I heard a familiar voice. I ran in its direction, through some brush. "Doctor!" I emerged on the other side. The Doctor wasn't alone. There were two people who I didn't recognize with him, as well as River. "Doctor?"

"Oi, how do you know the Doctor?" The redheaded woman asked in a stern voice.

"Oh, Clara! I totally forgot about you, I'm so sorry. Things just got away from me." Forgot. He forgot. I began to laugh. "I do suppose it is funny," he smiled and gave a chuckle, "How long were you waiting for?" My laugh turned manic. "Clara, are you alright?"

"Oh no, I am the Jester, and I am some left." I let out a cackle, "Get it. All right, some left. Opposites. But that's enough joking for now, I should be off joking then and soon and half-past noon. Maybe even a bit on the fourth of June, on the moon or a lagoon." Hollowness returned. He began to speak but I was already feeling the pain. I was already falling into the time vortex and being wisped away to the only place I wanted to go.

There was an uninhabited planet not far from Gallifrey. This was my destination. I peered out across the empty space at where my home once was.

"Never let them in," I said to the emptiness. It was the first time I had regretted going with the Doctor. I should have stayed in Bedlam. I should have wasted away there, and ended there.


	13. That Cozy Cafe

**Short baby chapter, but it is setting up a few fun ones. Enjoy!**

13: That Cozy Café

Five hundred years. Five hundred years of empty wandering, of fighting the pain with activity, of living in the same body and slowly watching all of the sights of the universe pass me by. At around the four hundredth year since my encounter with the Doctor I began to feel better. And by the time I mucked up the courage to travel to Earth again I was completely healed from all my past wounds. On my 1,200th birthday I decided it was safe to return, and 2008 London was calling. After a few weeks I grew bored, and began to venture out, as I tended to do.

Unfortunately I ran into a familiar face. I knew it was familiar, because I never forget a face. I never forget anyone. I am not the Doctor. But I definitely knew this man's face. I decided to follow him for a while, and noticed him walk into a small café. I followed, ordering hot chocolate and grabbing a seat eavesdropping distance from the man, in the corner of the room. The corner seat has always been my favorite. I could keep tabs on a whole room with minimal effort, and I didn't have to watch my back all that much. Perfect for a Time Lady in an unfair universe. Before long a red haired girl and a blonde girl joined him. She I definitely remembered. These were the people with him all those years ago, the Doctor's people.

"Are you still going on about your imaginary friend?"

"He is not imaginary. My raggedy Doctor is not imaginary." So he had yet to meet the Doctor? From then on I only half-listened to their conversation, just trying to catch the gist of the group dynamic. To be completely honest they bored me, just like everything else. I only fully tuned back in when the red head, Amy, left.

"Maybe it's time to move on, Rory? You've been waiting for her since we were kids, and I am sure there are girls out there who would love to have you as their boyfriend."

"You might be right."

"Of course I am. Don't look now, but that girl over there has been eyeing you since we got here. You should talk to her." She grabbed her bag and left the café as I did a scan of the room to find out who she was talking about. The only other people here was a rather exhibitionist couple, surely she did not mean them. The second I figured it out he looked over at me, and I smiled.

"I don't suppose you heard that?" he asked, still sitting down. I nodded a bit. I walked over and joined him, talking for a while and laughing more than usual. He was incredibly easy to talk to, and he had this funny way about him that spoke sincerely of friend. "So, Clara, would you like to go out to dinner sometime?"

"I'd love that."

"Tonight it the only night I have off for a week, so either that or next week?"

"Tonight works," I scrawled the address I had been staying at on the cup's sleeve. "Come by at 8?"

"Alright." He took the address and shoved it into his pocket as he walked out of the building. Why do this? Call it curiosity. All I knew is that something in my gut knew this was the right thing to do. If time had taught me anything, it was that my guts knew what they were doing.


	14. That Almighty Aristocrat

14: That Almighty Aristocrat

"So where would you like to go to dinner?" We began walking down the street.

"Wherever you would like to go." I heard the hints of nervousness in his tone.

"Well that is a cop-out answer. How about this, if you could go and have dinner with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?"

"The Queen, I suppose."

"Which one?"

"Living or dead, then it would have to be Elizabeth I."

"That's good news, at least it was one I know." I grabbed his hand, "This will only hurt a bit."

"Wait, what are you… Ow!" Through the time vortex we went. "What just happened?" Rory looked around, utterly confused.

"We just traveled through time and space." I looked down at my wrist, "And we are going to be late if we don't hurry." I grabbed his arm and began pulling him into a large building.

"Excuse me, you are not allowed…" The guard stopped me.

"Yes I am. The Queen herself is expecting me." I held up a piece of psychic paper I had picked up a hundred or so years ago.

Rory looked at me as the man shook my hand, "It's an honor to be meeting you in person. Right this way." He lead us through several ornate hallways, Rory was stammering the whole time as if it were a dream. When we entered the dining room Elizabeth was sitting alone at the head of the table.

I looked at the guard, "I'll take it from here, buddy." Then I walked over. "Your majesty, it has been some time since we last saw each other." She looked at me for a few minutes, trying to place me. "The last time you saw me I looked very different. I believe I told you I wouldn't look the same if we were to ever meet again."

"My Jester," she motioned to the seat beside her, "do join me. And is this gentleman your husband?" She looked at Rory.

"Oh no, first date." I laughed and patted the seat beside me.

"So you're really Elizabeth I?"

She looked confused, "I do not understand your question, sir."

I gave him a stern look. "Oh, don't mind him, your majesty. Just a bit of a shock to actually meet such a wonderful woman. Might I enquire as to if things in the kingdom have been going well?"

She sighed, "Not for me, I am afraid. I am plagued nightly by horrific visions. I fear that they might deem me unfit to rule if I tell anyone, except you. I would trust you with the crown if I had to."

"This has to be the most bizarre dream I have ever had." Rory began to eat.

"Your friend says the oddest things, my Jester."

"Doesn't he?" I turned to Rory and whispered, "This isn't a dream. If you don't believe me then try to change it. You can change dreams, but this is reality darling." I continued to speak to Elizabeth while Rory did many strange things, and eventually concluded this was in fact all actually happening. I agreed to try to help my old friend with her nightmare problem. She recounted all of the things she could remember from them, and eventually I was able to decide on the best course of action. "I know what we must do. I shall watch over you tonight, and as many nights as needed, and we will see if something else is causing these visions."

"Do you think it is something other than just bad dreams?"

"Well Rory, I hope it isn't, but I am worried that it might be."

"Then it is settled. You will watch over me, and get down to the bottom of this." She finished her plate, "Will you both be on guard, or does your 'date' require a room?"

I looked at Rory, "I can help, I just need to be at work on time tomorrow." I smirked slightly.

"Time is never an issue with me." And we set off in the hopes of finding nothing but some nightmares.


	15. Those Grim Ghosts

**Let me know how it's going!**

15: Those Grim Ghosts

We patrolled the corridor outside her Majesty's room that night. The air was cold, the sky outside was dark, and the Rory was the greatest company a Time Lady could ask for. Things were going so smoothly I hardly thought my fears could be correct.

"Is it just nightmares then? Nothing strange has happened all night."

"If that's the case, I will have to have a session or two with her before we leave. I studied with Freud once, you know."

"Alright, I believe that that's the Queen in there, but how? How is this possible?"

"I'm not entirely sure I can answer that without your brain exploding," I laughed a bit. "But I'll give you the short version, if that's alright?"

"Anything's better than nothing at this point."

"Well, first thing you should know is that I am not human. I am a Time Lady, from a time long long ago in a galaxy far far away."

"Like Star Wars?"

"Yes, exactly. The only difference is that I can travel through time and space. I have seen the corners of the universe and the corners of time."

"So you know what's going to happen in the future? In my future?"

"Yes and no. The future can be changed." I looked at my wrist, "I think it's about time to take a peek." I opened the door a tad, cursing its squeakiness. "What I wouldn't give for a can of WD-40." Then I saw them. Four ethereal creatures surrounded the bed; I swung the door open and held my sonic hammer aloft, "Get away from the Queen this instant!" They hissed and the one closest to me lunged at me, but not before Rory threw himself between us. The creature staggered back. I rushed around Rory and began to grab the ghostly arms of the menaces. With a quick pain I was just in front of a black hole with the beasts I released them and kicked them in the direction of the black mass or non-mass. "And stay out!" I yelled at them before they were sucked in. "God save the Queen? More like Jester saved the Queen," I laughed before the pain appeared in the bottom of my stomach.

When I arrived back Elizabeth was awake and seemed rather angry at Rory. "See, there she is!"

Her mighty eyes were cast my way, "Problem's fixed, your Majesty." I gave a slight bow. "And smart thinking on your part, how did you know they can't touch a man without dying?"

His mouth was agape before Elizabeth spoke once more, "Gracious, and here I was scolding you." She walked over to a case and opened it, producing a sword. "Come here boy, let me knight you." He followed her orders.

"Well, the problem is fixed, so we best be going." I shook her hand.

"Will I get to see you again?"

"Maybe, but again, I will likely look very different."

"So that's it? We just go back now?" Rory asked as we walked out of the castle.

"We don't have to, there are many more people to be helped and sights to see."

"I need to be at work soon."

"Have you forgotten? Time is not an issue with me, and while you're with me it won't be for your either." I paused for a minute as we walked, "Unless you want to get back right away?"

"What else is there to do?"

I thought for a while, "Anything you feel like, Sir Knight."

"Hawai'i?"

"Oh, come on. We can do better than that. But if you're looking for something tropical I know just the place," I took his hand and off we went.


	16. That Forgetting Friend

**It's been too long, so here you go! Review and let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions throw them my way. Thank you for reading and ENJOY!**

16: That Forgetting Friend

The month I spent with Rory was beyond fun. It was so far past fun that you had to take a plane just the get there, and I loved it. Somehow, during our adventures we had become best friends, and we soon found out that as much as we liked hanging out with each other…

"Romance just isn't in the air with us, or is that just me?" Rory said as we were walking to a dinner after one of our more arduous missions.

"It's not just you, dear friend. But I like this."

"Me too, part of me doesn't even want to go back home."

During our meal I kept thinking about the first time I saw Rory. He was with the red-haired girl. The Doctor's companions. Somehow he knew River, and River liked them, I could tell. He didn't recognize me. I ate a few bites. He didn't recognize me. "That means…" I looked across the table at him.

"What means?"

"In your future, I saw you once."

"Yes, you told me." He laughed.

"But you didn't recognize me. Recognition produces very specific facial expressions, and you didn't have them."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you wont remember any of this. You will forget it all."

"I don't want to forget this." I reached across the table and placed my hand on his.

"I don't want you to either, but this might have to happen."

"Why?"

"I don't know yet, but there could be consequences more serious than we can imagine if it doesn't happen. I don't risk things like that."

"I don't have to forget just yet, do I?"

I sighed. "Putting it off will just make things worse." He pulled his hand out from under mine. "We just have to do it, like a Band-Aid."

"What do you mean we?"

"Timelords can do that, erase what needs erasing."

"So you'll take my memories from me." I nodded, "But you're my friend, how could you do that."

"When it's done we won't be friends." I paused. "No we will. We will be friends. You're fun, and we will be friends. I will make sure of it." A weak smile appeared on his face.

"Promise."

"I swear. I probably won't tell you about all of this, but we will be friends Rory Williams. And I will always think of you that way, even after you've forgotten." I paid the check and we went outside and into an alley. "One last trip, Mr. Williams?"

"If we must." He took my hand and the pain came. It wasn't all in the stomach this time, not for me. We arrived a few moments after we left a month ago. I double-checked the clock and computer just to be sure.

"Alright, we just left so we should be good." I couldn't muster a smile, but I could give him a hug. I held him for a few minutes, and the sadness really hit me. "I will miss you. Know that."

"I will, too. So don't be long in finding me again."

"I'll go as fast as I can." I put my hands on either side of his head, "I can keep them for you, if you'd like?"

"Of course you can, you can do everything, can't you." I tried to laugh but nothing came of it. "Keep them. And give them back when we see each other next.""

"Will do." I winked and wiped his memory of me. Then I sent him out the door and on his way.

It's a strange and terrible feeling to lose a friend. It's like a door is shut in front of you, and you know full well what's on the other side but it is locked. Sometimes, after a while you come back to it and try the handle again. Doesn't budge. Then eventually you'll just board it up and forget it ever existed, or you'll try. But every time you walk by that wall you remember and it hurts.

Rory was different. He was a door I had to shut, yes. But one day I will come back to it and bust it down if I have to. That's the kind of friendship we had made.


End file.
